Mulsh



ARIilElfit li liltfiltlu.

bpccincation of .nB'lTtElS Patent.

liatented ltltair. 29, itltlljt.

Application filed neptcmber W, 1920. Serial No. 413,174.

To all mil em it may cone-cm 'lle it known thatl, (lrunnns ii liflcirnn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at t llaa, Tllerritory of Hawaii, (whose postofiice address is (llaa, Hawaii, Zllerritory of llawaih) have invented certain new and useful liuprm'enumts in lilulshes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in n'iulshes for forcing or enhancing thegrowth of plants, first by suppressing weeds and undesirable plants in or about the planting area, second by producing zones of moisture stored within the soil outside ofthe planting area and the regulation of the quantity of inoisture thus stored by the provision of adjustable openings in the mulsh to expose larger or smaller areas of the soil to induce evaporation of the excess moisture, and third by inducing the storage of heat in the soil, which heat is absorbed by-the body of the inulsh and radiated or-conducted into the soil, so that practically ideal conditions as to heat and moisture will be maintained, to enhance the lateral and downward spreading of the plant roots, and therefore the development of the plant as-a. whole. The present invention is designed and intended to afford another means for putting into practical effect the method of enhancing the growth of plants, asset forth in my copending application filed on even date here with, and to provide additional means for accurately regulating the condition of the soil zones surrounding the indivdual plants, in respect of moisture and temperature conditions, with due consideration to the weather conditions and the'nature of the plants.

To these ends the invention comprises a mulsh or covering for the plant beds, preferably formed of strips of. flexible, dark colored, waterproof material of good heat alosorbing qualities, from which sections are excised at regular intervals, each excised section being adjustable with respect to the mulsh proper to either substantially close the opening formed by the excision thereof, or to expose soil areas of varying extent to induce evaporation of the moisture from the.

soil, which has been delivered to the soil by drainage from the surface of the mulsh,

. location of the plants in the either through theslits or incisions formed when the sections are severed from the body oi. the mulsh or through the openings prdduced by adjusting the severed sections to produce larger or smaller evaporation openings or areas. Each of the sections cut from the inulshis provided with a central opening, formed in substantially the same manner as the planting opening, as described in my 'cop'ending application afhresaid, namely by slitting each excised section of the mulsh on intersecting lines to form foldable flaps, which when turned back over the upper surface of the section are-locked into position bypassing the free ends through small slits in the mulsh section surrounding the central opening in which the plants or plant stock may be planted either prior or subsequent to the laying of the mulsh. The invention is illustrated in the-accompanying drawings, in which p Figure l is a plan view of a section of a mulshing strip with the several sections surrounding the particular planting areas excised but remaining in situ;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the excised sections adjusted to expose sections of the soil around the planting area to promote evaporation of the water in the soil;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View showing a different adjustment of theexcised mulsh section to expose a different extentofevaporation area of the soil;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modified form of the excised mulsh section to, be used when relatively large evaporation areas are required.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, 1 indicates the body proper of a mulshing strip, which is preferably formed of flexible, darkcolored, waterproof material of good heat absorbingqualities, such as would be effectedby impregnating the fabric of the mulshing strip with asphalt, tar or similar compounds. The strip as thus constituted is adaptedto be laid in flat surface contact with thesoil of the plant beds in the usual manner, primarily tosuppress and destroy weeds and undesirable plants, as explained in my co-pending application.

Preferably at intervals, representing the soil, the body of the mulsh is provided with cross slits 2, 2 which define the four triangular flaps 3, each of which is adapted to be folded back over the surface of the Inulsh and the outer end thereof passed through small slits 41, thereby locking the flaps in position and exposing an area of soil immediately surrounding the plant, which latter may have been set in position either prior or subsequent to the laying of the mulsh, each so-called planting area being defined by the opening 3.

Regular geometrical sectionsof the mulsh proper, foldable flaps defining a single planting opening 5, are excised from the body of the mulsh by cuts or slits it), which in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 produces a square section ll cut bodily from the mulsh. The various incisions to form the foldable flaps, the locking slits therefor and the separate sections 11 of the mulsh may be made when the mulsh is first prepared and before it is applied to the soil. or may be made after the mulsh has been laid on the ground over the plant beds and the latter freed from weeds or undesirable plants.

hen the mulsh 1 has been applied'to the soil in the form illustrated in Fig. 1 it will subserve the same purposes and functions as the mulsh illustrated in my co-pending application aforesaid in that the folded flaps will open up the soil area immediately surrounding the plants, the fabric of the mulsh will absorb the heat from the sun's rays and transmit the same to the subjacent soil, and the greater part of the moisture directed within the boundaries of the mulsh will be delivered into the soil through the planting opening 5, the slits 4 and the dividing slits or incisions 10 between the body of the mulsh and the sections 11. By far the larger proportion of the water will drain through these last mentioned slits 10 and will be delivered into the soil zones outside of the planting area, in practically the same manner and to the same effect as the drainage is affected through the slits or slots 10 in the mulsh of my co-pending application aforesaid. It will be apparent, however, that. there will be times, after or during heavy or continuous rains, or conditions of plant development, when, or under which, it will prove necessary or desirable to permit some of the water trapped in the zones surrounding the planting areas to evaporate from the surface of the soil, so that the latter will not remain too wet for optimum plant development. This evaporation may be readily and accurately regulated by adjusting the several sections 11 of the mulsh from the relatively closed position thereof in the body of the mulsh, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, or in other words by turning the several sections 11 about eachplant as a center to provide variable sized openings 12 or 12 between the body proper of the mulsh and the subjacent sections 11, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and3. It will be apparent that the area of the openings 12 and 12 and each section containing a series of therefore the soil ar ias exposed may be accurately regulated and varied to any desired extent so that the amount of evaporation of the ater from the soil may be correspondingly regulated.

Not only do the adjustments of the several mulsh sections ll. as shown in Fig 2 and 23, cause the evaporation of the water from the soil to be materially increased over that which would take place. under conditions represented by Fig. l, but such adjustment likewise reduces the heat absorbing quality of the mulsh. in direct proportion to the enlargement of the openings 12 and 12. as the portions of each of the sections 11 which underlie the body proper of the mulsh will be no longer exposed to the direct action of the solar rays and the heat absorbed through the openings 12 and 12' will be quickly dissipated and cannot be stored in the soil fo an appreciable time after the sun ceases to shine thereon. It will be seen. therefore. that by the prope adjustment of the mulsh sections 11 both moisture and temperature conditions of the soil may be accurately regulated and determined. As herctofoie indicated the mulsh sections 11 may be of any convenient or desired geometrical form provided the form admits of them being so adjusted with respect to the openings in the mulsh. formed by their excision therefrom, as to permit the sections to substantially close the openings, except for the narrow variable openings through the mulsh to expose similarly variable evaporation ar as of the soil. For example, 'when relatively large evaporation areas are desirable the excised sections of the mulsh may take the formshown in Fig. -l, in which each of the sections is oblong in form. \Vhen these sections are laid with their major axes at right angles to the major axis of the mulsh. maximum cvapo 'ation areas or openings 12 will be produced. These openings may be varied in size from a maximum to a minimum by turning the sections ll in the same manne' as indicated in connection with the previous modification.

It will thus be seen that by selecting the proper shape of the mulsh sections ll and adjusting them with respect to the openings formed by their excision from the body of the mulsh. any desired degree or extent of soil area may be exposed to induce evaporation and reduce th amount of heat stored in the soil. so that the necessary conditions of heat and moisture in the soil to produce the best effects in promoting the growth and development of the plant may be obtained and maintained.

Obviously the individual sections 11 and '11, described as excised from the body of the mulsh. may, if desired, be formed independently of the mulsh. but applied in the same manner as the sections thus excised. and, in order to produce the widest range of llt) intense variation oi the evaporation openings or areas, the sections should. in each instance corr spond substantially in area with the openings in the body of the inulsh, so as to practically close the openings against evaporation ejects, on the one hand, and to. provide inaxiniuin openings such as 12 and 12 when it is desired to evaporate relatively large proportions of the moisture collected in the soil. Under all conditions, however, the relation of the sections 11 and 11 to the body otthe inulsh should be such as to per. initof moisture, either from, rains or artilicially supplied to the surtace oi the Inulsh, draining through the openings between the sections and body oi? the niulsh to forin zones of moisture in the soil surrounding the planting areas.

ll hat' lt cl aim is: 1. iii niulsh tor eninincing the growth oi plants comprising a body portion ha ing an o iening therein, and a separate sectionot subs .tially the s v i we and area as the openi ad i to be odpi ted with respect the body anion to a the eirteht of the soil a eitposed ttnough said opening, said section having a central plan opening therei r 2. ii inulsh for enhancing the gro'wt oi" plants comprising a body portion hari an opening therein, and a separate section, oi substantially the same shape and area as the opening adapted to be adjusted with respect to the body portion to regulate the eatent oi the soil area exposed through said opening, said section having a central planti. g open-- ing therein and-: oldable flaps surrcunding the planting or ing.

it inulsh for enhancing th at plants comprising a body p i opening therein, and a separate of substantially the sanie shape and area as the opening adapted'to be adjusted withrespect to the bodyportion to regulate the erttcnt of the soil area exposed through said opening, saidscction having a central plhnting opening, therein, foldable flaps planting opening and means to lock said flaps in open position rtfinulsh for enhancing the growth oi plants comprising a strip or tleitibli, water proof material having openings therein spaced at intervals, a separatesection for each opei'iing oi substantially the same shape and area as the corresponding opening and adapted to be adjusted with respect to the opening to regulate the extent of the soil area exposed through said opening, each secsurrounding the tit tion having a central planting opening therein.

iii]

5. it mulsh for enhancing the growth otplants comprising a strip of tlerrible, water proof material "having openings therein spaced. at intervals, a separate section for each opening of substantially the same shape and area as the corresponding opening and adapted to be adjusted with respect to the opening to regulate the extent of the soil. area exposed through said opening, each section having a central planting opening therein and foldable tlaps surrounding the plant nag opelnng.

6-. it inulsh :t'or enhancing the growth oft.

plants comprising astrip or' flexible, water proof material having openings therein spaced at intervals, a separate section for each opening of substantially the same shape and area as the corresponding opening and adapted to be adjusted with respect to the sponding opening to vary the area-oi said opening, each section having a central plantopenin therein.

ih inulsh for enhancing the growth oi.

comprising abody portion and seco ionietrical torin out, at intervals 11.. the oudy rotation to tot-in corresponding up i in the latter, each. section being adjustable w i respect to the col opening to vary the area of said opeuin each section having a central planting opening therein and foldable flaps surroin'iding said planting opening.

9. i i inulsh for enhancing the growth oil": plants comprising a body portion having an opening therein, and a separate section of substantially the same shape and area as the opcnlng adapted to be adplsted with respect oudii i.

.tltl ing adjustable with respect to the corre-, 

